The Great Migration from the South

Introduction

The Great Migration, spanning from 1916 to 1970, was the largest migration in American history, with over six million Black people moving from the rural South to urban centers in the North and West. The largest wave occurred up until 1930, driven by the desire to escape systemic racism, economic exploitation, and brutal violence in the South. This story follows the journey of several of our ancestors as they navigated these challenging times and sought better lives.

The Early Lives of Wiley J. Strickland and Dinah Hawkins

Wiley J. Strickland and Dinah Hawkins were born into slavery in Georgia. Wiley, born in 1856 in Madison, likely on the Cobbham Plantation, and Dinah, born in 1860, also in Georgia, grew up under the harsh conditions of enslavement. These plantations were large estates where cotton was the primary crop, and the labor was grueling.

A Moment of Liberation:

As recounted by Ted Davenport, his grandfather discovered his freedom in a dramatic moment when a Northern soldier walked down the road and informed him that the war was over and he was free. This moment of liberation was both thrilling and daunting as it opened up new possibilities and uncertainties.

Reconstruction and Black Lawmakers

Reconstruction (1865-1877) was a period of rebuilding and integration for the Southern states following the Civil War. The federal government implemented measures to protect the rights of newly freed Black people, such as the Freedmen’s Bureau and the passage of the 14th and 15th Amendments, granting citizenship and voting rights to Black men. However, with the end of Reconstruction and the withdrawal of federal troops in 1877, Black people were left vulnerable to the resurgence of white supremacy.

During Reconstruction, several Black people served in political office, including Henry McNeal Turner and Alexander Hamilton, who were among the first Black legislators in Georgia. These lawmakers advocated for civil rights and educational opportunities for Black people, providing a brief period of political empowerment.

Visual Representation:

– Images of Black lawmakers during Reconstruction can be found in the [Library of Congress archives](https://www.loc.gov/collections/african-american-perspectives/articles-and-essays/reconstruction/).

The End of Reconstruction and the Rise of Jim Crow

With the end of Reconstruction and the withdrawal of federal troops in 1877, Black people were left vulnerable to the resurgence of white supremacy. Southern states enacted Jim Crow laws to enforce racial segregation, and Confederate monuments were erected throughout the South as symbols of white supremacy. These monuments served as constant reminders of the social order, reinforcing the oppressive environment Wiley and Dinah lived in.

Impact on Ancestors:

Wiley and Dinah would have seen Confederate monuments going up in places like Madison and Oglethorpe, Georgia. These symbols reinforced the oppressive environment they lived in.

Visual Representation:

– Confederate monuments: [EJI’s Confederate Monument Mapping](https://eji.org/reports/online/).

Sharecropping: A New Form of Economic Exploitation
How Sharecropping Worked:

After emancipation, many Black people, including Wiley and Dinah, transitioned to sharecropping. Landowners divided plantations into smaller plots and allowed freedmen to work these plots in exchange for a share of the crop, usually cotton. Sharecroppers were often trapped in a cycle of debt due to high-interest rates on supplies and poor crop yields. This system effectively re-enslaved many Black people economically because they had nowhere else to go, no money, and no skills other than agriculture. The Southern economy had collapsed as its greatest financial asset was the enslaved people themselves.

Impact on Ancestors:

Wiley J. Strickland and Dinah Hawkins likely worked as sharecroppers on the same lands where they were enslaved. Moving from Madison to Oglethorpe, Georgia, they struggled under this exploitative system, which influenced their later migration to Lansing, Michigan.

Visual Representation:

– [Without Sanctuary](http://withoutsanctuary.org/main.html) provides images of the harsh realities of sharecropping and the oppressive conditions Black people faced.

Northern Factories and Southern Whites’ Role in the Migration

Northern Factories’ Role:

Northern factories and industries actively recruited Black workers to fill labor shortages caused by World War I. They sent labor agents to the South, promising better wages and living conditions. Many Northern companies offered to pay for transportation and provided initial housing to attract Southern Black workers.

Southern Whites’ Role:

Southern whites encouraged Black migration to reduce economic competition and maintain racial control. The departure of Black people alleviated economic pressures in the South and reduced the number of Black voters challenging white supremacy. In some cases, whites even escorted Black people to trains to ensure they left, viewing their departure as a means to rid the South of what they perceived as a “problem.”

The Threat of Lynching

The threat of lynching was a constant, terrifying reality. For Wiley and Dinah, the stories of brutal lynchings were more than distant news; they were community events that maintained the racial order through terror.

Detailed Accounts

Watkinsville Lynching (1905, Georgia):

On June 29, 1905, in Watkinsville, Georgia, nine Black men, including Lewis Jackson and Rich Robinson, were taken from the jail by a mob of about 50 masked men. They were tied to trees and shot multiple times. The bodies were left hanging to instill fear in the Black community. This lynching was attended by many from neighboring towns, and entire families came to witness the gruesome spectacle, treating it as a public event.

Visual Representation:

– [EJI](https://eji.org/news/history-racial-terror-lynching/)

– [Without Sanctuary – Watkinsville](http://withoutsanctuary.org/main.html)

Paul Jones Lynching (1919, Georgia):

On July 12, 1919, Paul Jones was accused of attacking a white woman and was lynched by a mob of 400 people in Macon, Georgia. Jones was dragged from the jail, hung from a tree, and his body was shot repeatedly. This event drew a large crowd, including families who traveled from nearby areas, making it a public spectacle that reinforced white supremacy through extreme violence.

Visual Representation:

– [Without Sanctuary – Paul Jones](http://withoutsanctuary.org/main.html)

May 1918 Lynchings (Georgia):

In May 1918, in Brooks and Lowndes counties, Georgia, at least 13 Black people were lynched in a series of brutal killings. Hayes Turner was lynched after being accused of a crime, and his wife, Mary Turner, who protested her husband’s lynching, was also killed. Mary, who was eight months pregnant, was tied, hung upside down, doused with gasoline, and burned. Her unborn child was cut from her body and killed. These events were attended by large crowds, including women and children, who treated it as a family affair.

Visual Representation:

– [Wikipedia – May 1918 Lynchings](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_1918_lynchings)

– [Without Sanctuary – Mary Turner](http://withoutsanctuary.org/pics_34.html)

These lynchings were not only acts of terror but were also social events where mobs, including entire families, gathered to enforce white supremacy through the most violent methods seen in written history. Souvenirs such as pieces of rope, clothing, and photographs were often taken from lynching sites and sold or kept as macabre trophies. W.E.B. Du Bois, during a walk to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, noted that body parts of lynched individuals were even sold at department stores.

Lynching Souvenirs:

There are accounts of lynching souvenirs, such as postcards, being sold. These postcards often depicted the gruesome scenes and were sent as tokens of the event. Vendors set up shop and sold food at lynching sites, turning them into carnivals of horror. The site [Without Sanctuary](http://withoutsanctuary.org) documents many of these images.

Photographs and Souvenirs:

– Lynching photographs were often turned into postcards and sold widely. Examples of these postcards can be found on [Without Sanctuary](http://withoutsanctuary.org).

– There were reports of body parts being taken as souvenirs and sold, creating a grotesque market for lynching memorabilia. Details can be found in sources like the [Fresh Air Archive](https://freshairarchive.org) and the [WWNO](https://www.wwno.org).

Jack Davenport and Amanda Wilkerson: Seeking Refuge in the North

Jack Davenport and Amanda Wilkerson were born into slavery in Georgia. Jack, born in 1850 in Lexington, and Amanda, born in 1841 in Oglethorpe, faced systemic oppression under the Jim Crow laws. The constant threat of racial violence and economic exploitation significantly impacted their lives.

Great Migration:

In the 1920s, Jack and Amanda moved to Chicago, seeking better economic opportunities and safety from racial violence. They settled in the Bronzeville neighborhood, a hub for Black culture and business. Jack found work as a laborer, while Amanda continued her role as a homemaker, supporting their large family.

Their children, including Bernice Alexander, were young at the time and likely felt their parents’ desire to raise them in a safer environment. The move to Chicago was a significant change, offering better education and community support for Black people.

Addresses and Visual Representation:

– They lived in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Historical photos of Bronzeville can be found at the [Bronzeville Historical Society](http://bronzevillehistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/

Jack Davenport and Amanda Wilkerson: Seeking Refuge in the North

Jack Davenport and Amanda Wilkerson were born into slavery in Georgia. Jack, born in 1850 in Lexington, and Amanda, born in 1841 in Oglethorpe, faced systemic oppression under the Jim Crow laws. The constant threat of racial violence and economic exploitation significantly impacted their lives.

Great Migration:

In the 1920s, Jack and Amanda moved to Chicago, seeking better economic opportunities and safety from racial violence. They settled in the Bronzeville neighborhood, a hub for Black culture and business. Jack found work as a laborer, while Amanda continued her role as a homemaker, supporting their large family.

Their children, including Bernice Alexander, were young at the time and likely felt their parents’ desire to raise them in a safer environment. The move to Chicago was a significant change, offering better education and community support for Black people.

Addresses and Visual Representation:

– They lived in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Historical photos of Bronzeville can be found at the [Bronzeville Historical Society](http://bronzevillehistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/).

– Aerial maps and historical images of their neighborhood can be accessed through the [Chicago History Museum](https://www.chicagohistory.org/).

James Alexander and Holly Falkner: From Mississippi to the North

James Alexander and Holly Falkner faced similar challenges in Mississippi. Born in 1874 and 1872, respectively, they lived through the oppressive Jim Crow era, witnessing and experiencing systemic racism and violence.

Life in Mississippi:

The state was notorious for its racial violence, with numerous documented lynchings, such as the L.Q. Ivy lynching in 1925, where Ivy was tortured, hanged, and burned by a mob of 600 people. These acts of violence were community events designed to instill terror in the Black population and reinforce the racial hierarchy.

Great Migration:

Although James and Holly initially remained in Mississippi, their descendants moved North, influenced by the pervasive threat of violence and lack of opportunities. Their children settled in northern cities like Chicago, where they found work in factories and other industrial jobs.

Addresses and Visual Representation:

– Maps and historical photos of areas in Mississippi and Chicago can be found at the [Mississippi Department of Archives and History](https://www.mdah.ms.gov/) and the [Chicago History Museum](https://www.chicagohistory.org/).

The Psychological Impact and Legacy of Trauma

The deep trauma inflicted upon Black people during slavery, Reconstruction, and the Jim Crow era has profound and lasting effects. Studies on Holocaust survivors have shown that extreme trauma can alter DNA and affect subsequent generations. Although little research has been conducted on the descendants of enslaved Black people, it is likely that the 400 years of oppression have had a similar impact, manifesting as increased stress and health issues.

Combatting Historical Trauma:

Understanding the impact of enslavement and systemic racism is crucial for addressing the psychological and physical toll on Black people today. We can combat this legacy through:

– **Healthy Diet and Exercise**: Maintaining physical health through balanced nutrition and regular exercise can help mitigate stress and its effects on the body.

– **Therapy**: Professional counseling can provide tools to cope with the generational trauma.

– **Community Support**: Building strong, supportive communities can help individuals feel connected and understood.

– **Education and Awareness**: Recognizing and educating others about the historical and ongoing impacts of racism can foster resilience and empowerment.

Grandpa Ted’s Perspective

The enduring impact of these experiences likely contributed to Grandpa Ted’s belief that white people were the devil. Even in his final moments, he felt the weight of this history, seeing a white man named Bill from Kentucky to drag him off to the afterlife. This perspective underscores the profound and lasting effects of systemic racism and violence on Black families.

Final Thoughts:

This story of migration, resilience, and survival is a testament to the strength of our ancestors. By understanding and acknowledging the past, we can honor their legacy and strive for a better future.

Visual Recommendations for Website or Video:

1. **Period Photos and Drawings**: Include images of plantations, sharecropping, and Reconstruction-era lawmakers.
2. **Lynching Photos**: Carefully curated images from [Without Sanctuary](http://withoutsanctuary.org) to illustrate the brutality faced.
3. **Maps and Aerial Photos**: Historical maps of areas where ancestors lived, from sources like the [Digital Library of Georgia](https://dlg.usg.edu) and [Chicago History Museum](https://www.chicagohistory.org/).
4. **Health and Wellness**: Photos depicting healthy living practices and community support activities.

This narrative can serve as a powerful reminder of our history and the resilience of our ancestors, inspiring us to continue striving for justice and equality.